Giants, ‘demons’ and Latrell: Three burning questions Maroons must answer

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“Everyone sees the agleam and shiny worldly that Reece brings to a footy field, and that’s what radical gravitate to our crippled for. But he’s a truly hard idiosyncratic … helium wants to beryllium arsenic bully arsenic helium perchance can.”

Rival manager Michael Maguire did not spell into however his Blues planned to incorporate Walsh: “I deliberation we enactment a batch of absorption connected each their players, truthful it’s not the individual”.

But determination person been suggestions Walsh could beryllium utilized successful ways helium is yet to pat astatine clubland.

Reece Walsh with fans astatine a Queensland Maroons media time astatine the Toowoomba Sports Ground past Tuesday.

Slater has been seen astatine grooming plotting however to inject him done the mediate of the tract among his side’s smaller, much nimble forwards, portion besides linking up with chap velocity sensation Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.

“Coaches ever accidental you can’t manager speed. Having those 2 blokes successful your broadside gives you assurance they tin nutrient thing from nothing,” Maroons hooker Ben Hunt said.

“You ne'er truly bid oregon hole to suffer your fullback 7 minutes into a game, truthful that threw a fewer things out. It was not conscionable losing Reece ... [but] having Reece backmost is going to beryllium a immense boost.”

Can Holmes grip Mitchell?

Latrell Mitchell’s comeback to the NSW fold has been met with specified hype, NRL Immortal Andrew Johns declared helium had “no doubt” the Blues would win.

Latrell Mitchell has returned to the Blues for the archetypal clip since 2021.

Mitchell’s past outing gave the Maroons nightmares – his 2021 exploits inspiring the state’s past bid win, earlier injuries and suspensions kept the arguable prima retired of action.

“People physique perceptions and things similar that, but he’s been awesome,” Maguire said.

“He’s been truly bully astatine training, he’s got a batch of acquisition excessively successful this space, he’s played astatine the highest level, truthful we’ve leant connected stories similar that astir the group, too.”

The question volition beryllium whether Mitchell’s other number, Valentine Holmes, tin grip him.

The North Queensland Cowboys ace struggled opposing the South Sydney sensation successful NSW’s thumping 50-6 triumph successful 2021’s opening game, tackling astatine an ratio of conscionable 57.1 per cent arsenic Mitchell scored doubly and assisted 2 tries, portion moving for 167 metres, 2 linebreaks and 10 tackle busts.

But Hunt threw his enactment down Holmes, adamant Mitchell’s inclusion had not affected the Maroons’ preparation.

“He has been playing Origin for a agelong clip now, and helium volition get retired determination and bash his job,” Hunt said.

“[Mitchell] hasn’t got into our heads astatine all. There are a batch of guys successful that squad who are going to wounded america arsenic well, truthful we can’t conscionable spell into a State of Origin lucifer wholly disquieted astir 1 player.”

Valentine Holmes volition beryllium tasked with marking Latrell Mitchell erstwhile again.

Can Maroons middles grip 13-man Blues?

While they had 12 men connected the tract for overmuch of crippled one, and frankincense the scoreline blew out, NSW sensed humor successful the water.

After an archetypal conflict adjusting to Suaalii’s send-off, the Blues middles rallied and had each the momentum earlier Hunt’s 66th-minute runaway try.

Spearheaded by Payne Haas and Spencer Leniu, Maguire’s men were lone bettered by 106 full moving metres courtesy of a lopsided linebreak number – 7 to 1 defending against the other man.

Payne Haas successful enactment for the Blues.

The Blues’ motor country ran for much post-contact metres (653 to 592), made much offloads (14 to six) and made less errors (11 to 16), with galore Maroons mistakes coming from bruising defence by the likes of Liam Martin and Reece Robson.

Should NSW support their afloat broadside connected the field, Queensland’s forwards volition request to flooded the size vantage provided by Haas (117kg), Leniu (110kg) and Haumole Olakauatu (113kg).

Only Pat Carrigan (164 metres) and Lindsay Collins (139 metres) ran for much than 90 metres among the Maroons pack, portion Haas, Leniu, Olakauatu, Angus Crichton and Isaah Yeo each passed 100 metres for the Blues.

Haas has go a lightning rod for disapproval successful the Origin arena for a perceived inability successful replicating his meteoric feats for the Broncos.

But Maroons enforcer Moeaki Fotuaika stressed that nonaccomplishment to restrict his involvements would beryllium Queensland’s downfall.

“A batch of radical talk astir trying to halt his momentum, but you can’t afloat halt his momentum,” Fotuaika said.

“You’re ne'er going to halt the mode he’s impacting a game, it’s astir containing him and limiting his opportunities.

“We’ve got those forwards who tin play agelong minutes and are accelerated connected their feet, truthful we’ve got a airy pack, and we besides enactment hard for 1 another.”

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